Sprint has joined AT&T and T-Mobile in launching Google's latest Nexus smartphone, the Nexus 5. The carrier has just announced its launch plans.
In a somewhat surprising move, Google announced partnerships with three of the four major carriers for the Nexus 5. Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile will all sell the handset. It's unclear why Verizon didn't join in on the fun, especially since it currently sells Motorola's Moto X. Sprint has stepped up to announce its Nexus 5 launch, which marks the carrier's entry into a select group.
Nexus smartphones are guaranteed to receive the latest version of Android as soon as Google is ready to release it. This makes the Nexus brand very attractive for smartphone owners who have to have the latest and greatest, and Sprint is now in the club. Purchasing a Nexus ensures that you will always be rocking the latest dessert-inspired version of Android, and the Nexus 5 is introducing Google's latest update to its mobile operating system. The enw smartphone ships with Android 4.4 KitKat, which offers some cool new features to an already solid OS.
"Whether you're streaming music or video, surfing the Web, gaming online or just catching up on email, in upgraded areas, Nexus 5 will offer Sprint customers a secure, fast connection using all three of Sprint's 4G LTE network bands, giving customers the best wireless experience for their needs," said David Owens, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. "With the dynamic camera features available on this smartphone, our customers will be able to enjoy sharing all their photos and have the peace of mind by not having to worry about data caps or overage charges. While other wireless providers move away from unlimited service, Sprint stands behind its commitment with Sprint Unlimited Guarantee, allowing our customers to lock-in unlimited talk, text and data, while on the Sprint network, not for just the next two years, but for the life of the line of service."
The Nexus 5 features a 4.95-inch 1920 x 1080 Full HD Corning Gorilla Glass 3 display with a pixel density of 445 pixels-per-inch (ppi) and runs Android 4.4 KitKat. It is powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, an Adreno 330 graphics processing unit (GPU) and 2GB of RAM.
Google has included an 8-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) and improved HDR+ mode, as well as a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat and the ability to record 30FPS 1080p video. The smartphone's wireless capabilities are expected to include a 4G LTE radio, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/nc, Bluetooth 4.0 with Bluetoooth 40 LE abilities, NFC, and GPS. The Nexus 5 will be offered in 16GB and 32GB internal storage variants and use a 2,300mAh battery. It measures in at 69.17mm wide, 137.84mm tall, and 8.59mm thick and weighs 130g.
Sprint will be launching the Nexus 5 on Nov. 8. The smartphone will also be able to run on Sprint's just-announced Spark service, which offers Advanced-LTE support (faster speed). The carrier is offering the Nexus 5 for $149.99 when signing a new 2-year contract.
